Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide--How to Buy Diamonds, Pearls, Colored Gemstones, Gold & Jewelry With Confidence and Knowledge (5th Edition) (Paperback)

by Antoinette Matlins (Author), A. C. Bonanno (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Matlins and Bonanno's guide is as clear and easy to understand as their previous, well-received Gem Identification Made Easy (LJ 9/1/90) and Complete Guide to Buying Gems (LJ 5/15/84). They have updated, expanded, and revised these works to include cautionary advice to the gem-buying consumer about new advancements in fraudulent enhancements of diamonds and especially colored gemstones. Updated price guides and advice on cut, settings, and metals; questions to ask before purchase; advice on selecting a jeweler, appraiser, and insurer; and charts of diamond gradings, gem names, and alternatives point out just how much a consumer needs to know to avoid costly mistakes. Newman concentrates on gold jewelry craft and value. With the aid of her own excellent photographs (showing what can be seen through the indispensable 10X loupe), she describes what to look for in gold jewelry fabrication: mountings, settings, marks, fineness, and quality. Consumers will learn how to test for fakes and karat value, though some of the testing methods using acids are best left to professionals. Safer tests, like the squeeze test for rings and bracelet strength, will empower the buyer who is deluged with too-good-to-be-true jewelry sales. Especially useful is the section on evaluating gold chains. This is another easily read and understood guide by a respected gemologist. Both books are highly recommended, and public libraries might wish to consider purchasing more than one copy of each.
Therese D. Baker, Western Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling Green
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
Purchasing gems and jewellery can be a magical experience, filled with excitement and anticipation. But lack of information, error, or misrepresentation can make the thrill of buying a gem or piece of jewellery confusing, intimidating, overwhelming, and costly. To help you to avoid the pitfalls and keep the magic, two internationally respected experts on buying gems and jewellery put their inside knowledge to work for you in this easy-to-read, easy-to-use guide. It is filled with practical advice and is designed to make it easy for you to have all the information you need to buy gems and jewellery with confidence.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 275 pages
• Publisher: Gemstone Press; 5th edition (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0943763312
• ISBN-13: 978-0943763316
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #548,999 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended by Gemologist, January 1, 2000

By	allemand matthews (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide, 4th Edition : How to Buy Diamonds, Pearls, Colored Gemstones, Gold & Jewelry with Confidence and Knowledge (Paperback)

I bought a diamond in the NY wholesale diamond center and after taking it to an appraiser recommended by a friend, found out it was treated (it had cracks that were filled with glass so that you wouldn't see them)! The appraiser ordered me not to buy any more diamonds, or any other gem, until I went out and bought a book called "Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide." If I had read this book BEFORE I purchased the diamond, I would never have made such a mistake. First, the book tells about the exact treatment used on the diamond I bought, along with all kinds of treatments used on diamonds and other gemstones. Bit I really couldn't believe it as I read an example of EXACTLY what happened to me on 47th street. There is was, my story! I now enjoy shopping for jewelry more than ever, have discovered gemstones I never knew about before, and more importantly, following the information the authors provided, I now know exactly what to do to ensure I'll never be cheated again. I can't thank them enough, or praise this book enough.

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST HAVE BOOK for anyone interested in buying gems., March 30, 2001

By	Aquaria.Info "Aquaria.Info - Aquarium Fish On... (Aquaria.Info) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide, 4th Edition : How to Buy Diamonds, Pearls, Colored Gemstones, Gold & Jewelry with Confidence and Knowledge (Paperback)

This is an excellent book that will teach you virtually everything you need to know about buying gemstones. Unfortunately the world isn't a perfect place and there are unscrupulous people that will try to sell you gems that are treated, or outright fake.

Don't let this happen to you!

Buy this book and learn what you need to know to protect yourself. The book starts off with getting to know gems, how to use a loupe, and why the cut of a stone is important.

It has several chapters on Diamonds and will teach you how to judge a good cut, what color is and how to judge it, clarity and various imperfection, weighting and most importantly how to spot fraud and avoid misrepresentation.

If this was all the book did it would still be worth the money. But the book goes on to teach you about colored gemstones. This section teaches you how to determine the value in colored gems, the various synthetic and treated colored stones, how to judge peals and finally how to avoid fraud and misrepresentation with colored gemstones.

Finally the book tells you the stuff you need to know when buying, from what to ask the seller, to finding a reputable jewelry and choosing an insurer and appaiser.

This book can save you many times the cost of it on your first gemstone purchase.

All in all this is a MUST HAVE BOOK for the gemstone buyer.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Choices Without Fear!, April 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide, 4th Edition : How to Buy Diamonds, Pearls, Colored Gemstones, Gold & Jewelry with Confidence and Knowledge (Paperback)

I bought this book after reading another review, and it was one of the smartest things I've ever done. I love jewelry, but after reading this book, I'm now much smarter about what I'm doing and I'll never buy jewelry again the way I used to go about it! I was recently ripped off, but now I now know what to aak, what to get in writing, and where and how to confirm the facts!In short, how to avoid ever being ripped off again. I also have a much better idea of what the price should be (thanks to the excellent price guides). It is also filled with great tips to help you get the stone YOU want rather than what the saleperson thinks you should buy, and wonderful design ideas too. And there is also great info on stuff like gold (for example, did you know that white gold has nickel in it, which some people are allergic to!). I also learned how to take care of my jewelry, especially pearls, which jewelers seem to know nothing about. In fact, I've just ordered "The Pearl Book" by one of the authors of this book.

I never knew there was so much to know, or how many choices were available to me. Now I do, and I can't thank the authors enough for the great service this book provides for people like me who love it all--diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry of all kinds.